choosing my first air rifle: RWS, yes. 34 .22 or Meisterschütze !?!?

[roger_that]

so, it seems i've found where the well informed rocket surgeons are

 i'm a city boy gone to the country and want/need an air rifle to muck about with & for pest control on our small farmstead. our fencing is good so if a predator is getting in i should be able to find their intrusion point to exterminate the vermin from a fixed distance, snipe! our livelihood may depend on it - possums and racoons take note!

the recent calibre debate has me almost settled on .22 calibre
but, i really like the Meisterschütze .177   

my budget will not allow for a higher power rifle (read 48) unless i buy used, & i just don't see that as a viable option.
any thoughts on buying a used air rifle?

i don't have hundreds of dollars to drop on a rifle & then a tune job. what i need is the best option out of the box; recently on another diana forum "Lu34" writes about cutting down the spring as an option. do any of you know about this idea?
http://www.network54.com/Forum/184474/thread/1240894242/last-1309321774/Would+you+Maccari+tune+a+new+34-

cheers.
r.

[cole5169]

Hey, Roger;

Possums and raccoons, huh?
Whichever you decide, I'd recommend the .22 version, then.

The Meisterschutze is just a Diana 34 with a shorter barrel.  If you like the looks enough to spend the extra dough, go for it.  That shorter barrel will make it a little harder to cock (not a whole lot, though...).  You can always cut the barrel short yourself   Seriously, I've chopped quite a few barrels over the years with nothing more sophisticated than a hacksaw, some files, and an electric drill (to clean up the crown afterward).

Either way you end up going, the 34 is a great platform.  Will you need to tune your rifle?  Yeah, probably...  That's the nature of the beast.

I wouldn't rule out a used 48.  You can probably get a good one for between $200 and $250.  I paid $200 for mine... 
Buying used:  Well, I buy used airguns all the time. 
Ask a lot of questions of the seller, and make sure you see real pictures (not ones copied from a store's website).  Use Paypal if at all possible, because that offers some protections.  These are just precautions, though.  I have never had a deal go south...  Most of the folks that are really into airguns (and therefore active on forums like this one) are pretty decent, stand-up people. 

That being said, I don't think an RWS (Diana) 48 is necessarily "higher power" than a 34.  I have had both, and I'd rate them as comparable.

Good luck with the decision,
-joel

[cole5169]

Sorry, just checked the classifieds and stumbled across this:

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,14247.0.html

Something to think about...
-joel

[roger_that]

thanks for the 48 listing, it's a .177
- i should stick with the .22 , no?

[TOM aka critter99]

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,13822.0.html

I would avoid the T05 version too much chances of getting a lemon

Outsourced barrels and shoddy quality

I also have a T06 Classic in .177 but if I was to do it over I would get the 22 cal and now Pyramid Air has the Panther in T06 version

Speaking from experience.... the rifle is at Umarex as I type and to add insult to injury they want me to fund shipping in both directions....and they "repaired" the scope rail.  Well the factory had the right fixtures and got it wrong so how much do you think they could get it right??  Plus the guy said they stripped out the compression tube to repair it BUT they did NOT replace the seal.  of course they did not deburr the tube so the seal is surely all cut up  now

[Mark 611]

cole I hate to disagree with you but a m48 in .22cal most of them ave 800fps+ with 14.3gr pellets and a 34 with the best tune will only be around 730ish with the same pellet weight, roger get a 48 in 22cal if you can you wont be sorry these things are real hammers on game and a good gun will be really accurate with plenty of power for the size of game your talking about with some to spare! IMO the 48's in .177cal are harder to accurate because the shot cycle is harsher, the .22cal are much smoother to shoot just my 2ct

[Onebaddj]

If your going after racoon or possum id stick with 22 if its not a magnum, 350/470/b28 type. Either cal could do the job with a well placed shot of course but the 22 will i.crease the odds in your favor a little more.

Before you tune it put some rounds through it. Eventually it will need it. But you can put 4-5000 rds through it first.

RwS guns are good ones and worth the money. Imo. Like saidabove you can geta 22 then chop the barrel down pretty easy. Then you can put a stud kick ^&* break on there.

Ive cut a spring before to fit my model 62 chinese gun. Wasnt to bad. Just pinched a couple coils together with vice grips then heated it to make the new end and cut it then flattened the end on my belt sander. Looks like a factory spring will see how long it lasts.

[cole5169]

Hi, again, Roger;

Yeah, it's a .177, but it's an example of a RWS 48 (and scope...) for less than $250.
So, don't give up just yet, they show up pretty regularly for sale.

cole I hate to disagree with you but a m48 in .22cal most of them ave 800fps+ with 14.3gr pellets and a 34 with the best tune will only be around 730ish with the same pellet weight,

No worries, Mark.  It's good to hear from someone with the velocity numbers handy!

+1 on the .22's shooting smoother, too.
-joel

[mantis99]

I prefer to buy used.  The gun should already be broken in, you know it isn't a lemon, and I am looking for an already tuned gun.  You can get a much better deal in the used market, and the gun is usually better than buying new, especially if you don't know how to tune a gun.

[roger_that]

I prefer to buy used.  The gun should already be broken in, you know it isn't a lemon, and I am looking for an already tuned gun.  You can get a much better deal in the used market, and the gun is usually better than buying new, especially if you don't know how to tune a gun.

that's a good point re: breaking in - but how can you tell someone isn't trying to unload their lemon? are there any used boards you are willing to recommend? 

[powdermenot]

airgun depot had refurb .22 48s  for 225 dollars a few days ago.  my 52 came from them brand new for 300 shipped about a year ago.  for the size game your thinking i would go for the sidelever.  average speed for a tuned 34 in .22 will be around 700 fps with a 14 grain pill.

i dont see any 48s a AGD right now but best to call.

if nothing else post a wanted ad

[Mark 611]

You can also check with Umerax they have refurbed gun their thats who AGD get their from!

[roger_that]

man, you guys! thanks.